It is no secret that I love a good romance novel. The premise of this book immediately intrigued me, especially as someone who loves Susan Lee’s previous work. If you are a lover of romance novels like I am (and like Irene is), this book is for you.

It is so clear from this book that Lee loves romance novels. Each chapter is titled with a romance trope that comes into play in the chapter. Not only was it fun to explore all of the tropes along with the characters, but it was also a little hint about what to expect in the chapter ahead. I was most surprised to see the “secret baby” trope as a chapter heading. I’ll let you read the book to see how that trope plays out in this particular story.

I immediately liked Aiden as soon as he suggested to Irene that they should read a Jane Austen novel as part of their project. A teenage boy who not only reads romance novels, but loves Austen? Immediate green flags. I also maybe let out an immediate “aww” when he says “I wish” when someone asks if he’s dating Irene. He is sensitive and in touch with his emotions, and I want to go back to college to befriend him.

Aiden and Irene’s relationship is sweet and fun to read. It starts out as classic rivals to lovers. Not only are both in the romance book influencer space, but they also are up for the same brand sponsorship deal. Aiden’s followers even leave less than kind comments on Irene’s content. The moment where Irene confronts him about it, and it’s clear he has no idea that is happening is so sweet I loved that they come up with a competition to use romance tropes to fall in love. The concept is so fun, even though it is obvious that they will end up falling for one another.

The transition into college life is a difficult one, and Lee manages to capture that. Irene is struggling not only to define herself in this new space, but to balance school work and social life. Reading this book took me back to that moment in my life and made me feel a little nostaligic for it. It is a time when there is so much possibility ahead. As a middle child, Irene has always felt overshadowed by her siblings, but she now has the space to figure out who she is without her family and what she wants to do with her future.

I also have to say that the Intro to Lit class that Irene and Aiden are taking sounds amazing. A project that involves comparing two pieces of literature from the same genre? An extra credit assignment that explores how an author’s life experience can permeate their work? These sound great to me. Dr. Kingston, the professor, also clearly cares about his students. He reads the books Irene recommends and wants to discuss them with her, and he works with her to help her succeed when she falls behind.

Friendships are key to the college experience, and to a good romance novel in my opinion. It’s hard not to immediately love Jeannette, Irene’s roommate. She immediately embraces Irene as a friend and invites her to eat with her at the dining hall. The moment where Irene and Jeannette call each other “best friend” is so sweet. The reader gets enough information about Jeannette that it doesn’t feel like she is simply there to serve Irene’s story. It is easy to imagine that she has a life outside of the pages of the novel.

Most epilogues of books flash forward, but the epilogue of this book goes back in time to before where the story begins. Without spoiling anything, I will say that it is one of my favorite epilogues that I’ve ever read. It adds color to the entire book the reader has just finished, and it is so sweet to boot. Some people tend to skip epilogues, but I hope readers don’t skip this one.

I’ve loved all of Lee’s books, and this was no exception. Her love for romance novels jumps off every page. I look forward to her next book, her adult debut, Julia Song is Undateable.

This was kinda fun. Aiden & Irene were really cute. The plot, however, wasn't totally convincing to me. If we are to make Irene a huge book reviewer w/ 1 million followers, shouldn't we see more of her actually taking time to make/edit videos and posts? Not to mention her sister is a popular model for a few brands. Pretty much unbelievable and unrelatable for a book reviewer myself. That being said, I did enjoy reading the reviews from both Aiden & Irene. "The Romance Rivalry" is cute but don't take it too seriously.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the arc!

I promised myself I'd finish this book, but I honestly can't bring myself to do it. From the very first page, I found the main character incredibly annoying, and I couldn't warm up to her even 40% into the book. I think some authors can definitely work pop-culture references and such into their books without a problem, but in this book, it felt clunky and simply too much for my taste. The writing fell a little flat for me, and the book pushed me into a reading slump if I'm completely honest.

Susan's best work yet!!!

I've made it my life mission to yell about my love for this book at all times, and I haven't failed yet. So if you love enemies to lovers, fake dating, college rom-coms, banter, and books about loving books, this is PERFECT for you!
Irene and Aiden have my entire heart, and I adore them so much. I found myself laughing, smiling, and kicking my feet the entire time. Something I loved about this book was how fun it was. From beginning to end, Susan carried on the excitement, fun, and enthusiasm of all the characters. There was truly not a dull moment, and I was hooked from page one. However, can we take a moment to think about how everyone knew how Aiden felt about Irene, except Irene, cause she lives rent-free in my mind? The way she tried to dislike him but couldn't because he did everything right, and she hated that. It's truly the little things that matter the most, and he did everything. MY KING!!! I cannot recommend this book enough. I'm smiling just thinking about it.

This book is an absolute treat for anyone who’s ever lost themselves in a romance novel. Irene Park is smart, sarcastic, and totally obsessed with love stories but has zero experience living one herself. Watching her try to find real love using classic romance tropes is hilarious, awkward, and honestly super relatable.

The dynamic between Irene and Aiden (her online rival turned fake boyfriend) is full of sharp banter, slow-burn tension, and just the right amount of sweetness. Their chemistry jumps off the page, and their journey from enemies to something more feels so natural, even with all the rom-com chaos.

It’s not just about romance either. there’s a lot of heart in how Irene figures out who she is outside of her online persona. The college setting, the pop culture references, the love of books—it all adds up to something that feels fresh, fun, and genuinely heartfelt.

If you love fake dating, enemies to lovers, or just need a feel-good read that celebrates being a little nerdy about love, this one’s for you.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this arc.

Honestly I was very excited for this book because of the cover, the title and the premise. However, I am 17% into this book and it is not holding my interest as much. For now I am dnfing this book. I really want to love this book and I saw other people enjoying it. So it is probably a me thing and not the book's fault. I want to try again.

As much as I did like this as a romance, there were parts where it clearly reference current slang and it just threw me off. Like I don't have issues with books having references to current events of like popular trends and this BUT as a romance reader I don't like reviewing book with chili peppers and this makes reference to that a lot.

Irene & Aiden.

Or, Grumpy and sunshine .

Cute and sweet moments abound throughout the read.

Would’ve liked to see who Irene was in high school ( though cheered her friendship with Charlotte). There was a nod to the parentals and siblings but they seemed more surface level.

Still, wanted to see why Irene did not have any close connections and was more invested in her relationship to the public via social media. You actually understand more of Aiden’s background and frustrations with his flashbacks than hers.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#TheRomanceRivalry #NetGalley

The concept of this book sold me, Caricanread pitched me, and NetGalley/Susan Lee/ and Harper Collins provided me the ARC for my honest review. I did wait for the Audio to become available on Audible for a dual read. I did enjoy the audio and I had so much fun with this book. If you was to fall in love to a specific trope what would you want it to be. Finding a trope to fall in love to, is so fun. This was a very fast read and could easily have read in one sitting if life didn't get in the w😍y.

Irene has turned her passion for romance books into a successful online presence and is ready to spread her wings in college. She has come up with a way to find a boyfriend in college by using romance tropes. But when rival book reviewer Aiden ends up being in one of Irene’s classes she’s not sure what to make of things. Aiden always seems to be contradicting her reviews, not to mention his followers haven’t been leaving her the nicest comments. When Aiden suggests they make Irene’s romance trope dating idea into a competition, she reluctantly agrees. The more online traction from the competition, the more likely Irene is to secure a paid partnership both she and Aiden are being considered for. But as Aiden and Irene battle it out dating other people they can’t deny the sparks flying between them. But will Irene be able to fully trust Aiden and give their enemies to lovers trope an actual chance.

This was such a cute and fun YA romance with a lot of self reflection and heart with underling themes of familial expectations and AAPI representation.

Susan Lee’s The Romance Rivalry is every book-lover’s daydream come alive: enemies-to-lovers banter, a fake-dating pact, and more wink-nudge references to classic romance tropes than a Goodreads shelf. Irene Park—self-proclaimed trope aficionado and freshman navigating the wildly un-fictional chaos of college—sets out to “find love like the novels do.” Her plan goes delightfully sideways when rival reviewer Aiden Jeon turns both her challenge and her heart upside down.

What had me swooning
Trope-inception magic. Lee doesn’t just sprinkle clichés; she deconstructs and re-assembles them, giving us a loving satire that still delivers that warm-and-fuzzy HEA payoff.

Aiden and Irene’s chemistry. Their rapid-fire text threads, pop-culture deep cuts, and academic hallway collisions feel authentically Gen Z without trying too hard—like a TikTok rom-com that actually nails the dialogue.

Coming-of-age depth. Under the snark and swoon, the story tackles the very real pressure of picking majors, setting boundaries, and figuring out who you are outside your fandoms. Irene’s journey from “observer of love” to “main character” is as satisfying as any clinch-scene finale.

Representation done right. Korean American leads, secondary queer characters, and nods to diaspora family dynamics make the cast feel lived-in and inclusive without info-dumping.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel for an honest review.

The Romance Rivalry was a love letter to the romance genre. I loved how the author tied together romance tropes into the actual book, going back and forth between reviews and the story. It was very well done and clever. I loved the characters as well as their development. I believe this is marketed as a YA, but I would say 16+, for a few spicy-ish scenes. It gave me similar vibes to “Check and Mate” by Ali Hazelwood. This one is already out, so pick it up if you enjoy freshman year, cute stories that wrap up loving the romance genre like a present.

Loved this! A great YA/New Adult (they are in college) romance with a really fun premise. It is meta in the best way… a love story that winks & nudges to romance fans, but will also work for the more casual romance reader. If you love books with fake dating & academic rivalry, you will definitely want to pick this one up!

I'm a fan of Susan Lee, but this story was a miss for me. It had all the ingredients to make a cute and clever romcom story, but still came out flat.

I can't say I'm not the target audience here because I do enjoy YAs, but this was just... too young of an adult for lack of a better phrase. The dialogue is probably catered to a younger audience, but I can't imagine it not being cringey for them as well??
The development of the characters and their relationship was also lackluster to me. It starts as a slow burn and then the suddenly, it's a burst of hormones. It also seems the FMC, Irene, had all the problems in the book while our MMC had a smooth ride. Even his bit of struggle seemed to be unresolved in the end.

Lastly, if you're not into bookstagram or booktok, or any social media book app, then I can't say you'd enjoy this book. The experiences are pretty niche and the lingo may not be for everyone. Granted, the author does provide a guideline, but for a newbie romance reader, I would skip.

Overall, the book is cheesy but also, quick and fun. A miss for me may very well be a hit for you.

Romance Rivalry by Susan Lee is pure YA rom-com joy. Think: fanfic rivals, anonymous online beef, and major You’ve Got Mail vibes—but make it nerdy and updated.

The banter is sharp, the slow-burn romance is swoony, and the fandom drama is so real. I loved how it celebrates creativity, passion, and falling for someone who totally challenges you. Super cute, super heartfelt—I smiled the whole way through. Four and a half stars, rounded up to five 🌟

Tropes:
💘 Fake Dating
💻 Rivals-to-lovers
📚 Bookish vibes
💘 College Romance
😍 He’s secretly smitten
💕 Book lovers 


Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: E-book (e-arc)

Quick Plot Summary:
Freshman college student and professional romance book reviewer, Irene Park, meets her nemesis and book review rival, Aiden Jeon, IRL and they embark on (the only reasonable thing to do) a fun romance book trope competition to find true love!

My Thoughts:
📢Calling all romance book girlies (and fellas!) This is the book for us! From the dedication page I knew I’d love this book!

Lemme start by saying that I’ve seen some discourse on how this book has unfortunately not received appropriate marketing $$$ which is a shame considering how much the romance book community would love this book so if you can borrow/buy this story because it deserves more praise!

Okay, so this story truly had me giggling and laughing out loud. I loved how each chapter was named and based on a different book trope! I loved the epigraphs! I loved that meet-cute, it was one of the best I’ve read in a romance. This was such a fast and fun read. Truly a book that can only exist in this time period. A romance book for romance book lovers. I also really enjoyed the college setting and the sweet found family aspect. I was rooting for Irene the whole time and her chemistry with our MMC was perfection. My only reason for the four star was I felt our conflict got wrapped up too quickly. I would’ve loved to have explored her dynamic with her family a bit more. But, this is definitely a book I will recommend to anyone who loves to read romance!

Thank you Net Galley and Harper Collins for my e-arc!

I absolutely adored this book. It was sooo good I couldn’t put it down. I loved the main characters so much in this story and related to Irene on a DEEP level. I was so pleased with the ending which made me so happy because a lot of books have not been giving the ending the needed to give. This one was hopeful and comforting. Susan Lee is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine!!

This one was absolutely adorable. I love books about college life and I feel they are the line between YA and New Adult/Romance , which I am a total fan of. Irene and Aiden’s journey is such a great one and I’m so glad I was able to read this one. I got major Better Than the Movies vibes and we all know it’s one of my favorites. This is perfect for lovers of

💥Rivals to Lovers
💥Fake Dating
💥Friends to Lovers
💥Rivals to Friends to Lovers
💥He Falls First
💥Slow Burn
💥Grumpy x Sunshine
💥Forced Proximity
💥College YA

Tropes:
- rivals to friends to lovers
- college romance
- fake dating
- forced proximity
- slow burn
- grumpy & sunshine
- he falls first

A very special thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I adored this book!!! I could not put it down. Susan Lee has such a talent and her characters are always so well thought out. I loved the pieces of the two MC book reviews and their chemistry was also insane! This is such a fun book to read and will be perfect for summer!

SO CUTE!!! a literal breath of fresh air. i love romance of this caliber so much. Susan Lee made such an addicting read that i'm still thinking about it days after i finished.